October 2009

October of 2009 is now complete. The book is closed and my "Recovery" has begun. Unofficially 'recovery' must have began early in the month as my October training calendar shows more Yellow Days than any other month this year. In October I took 19 days off from training. (I'm not so sure Recovery is supposed to look like that). But I also ran 2 events that were both great for me.

October's totals:
Bike: 4h 05m - 66.51 Mi
Run: 3h 40m - 25.87 Mi
Swim: 2h 19m - 4874.89 Yd
Strength: 1h 15m
Elliptical Training: 55m
P90X: 2h 45m

The Off Season is here. What do I do? Most people 'In The Know' say that the off season is a time to allow your body to recover from a long race season. They suggest that rather than to eliminate workouts, switch out for something different; train and focus on the most weak of the 3 triathlon disciplines; and to strength train.

So I'll do it! I will be back on the elliptical trainer more in the next few months; I will be on the bike trainer doing some easy session; running will be for fun and I'll do it when I feel like it. Easy, right?

Swimming has been my limiter over the last 2 years. I initially focused on running, this year my focus was biking; this off season and next year I will improve my swims. I will also do more strength training in order to increase overall power output next year.

I may spend some time on the MTB and get out in the fresh fall air.

I was nominated and selected to be in a local health magazine about my weight loss...

My Story: I weighed 145 pounds in high school and struggled to get my weight up to 170's for the first few years after high school. After I started working for a private ambulance service and into the time where I worked as a volunteer firefighter, I found myself putting on the pounds. Late in 2006 I was over 200 pounds. I couldn't even run a whole mile without stopping.

January of 2007 I took part in a fitness challenge that I helped to coordinate with a few coworkers. I dropped over 30 pounds. Over the next year I began to run and did my first 5k. I found a local sprint distance triathlon and made it my goal to complete that race... though I couldn't swim.

In January of 2008 I chose to teach myself how to swim. I managed to complete 2 triathlons (though my swims were less than par). I did a handful of running events and decided that 2009 would be my breakout year for triathlon.

Early 2009 I bought my first Triathlon/Time Trial bike and stayed on it all year making some great gains in speed. I have now completed 13 races and taken Age Group and Overall medals in 5 races, and set a new PR for 5k at sub 21 minutes. This year I have ran 2 half marathons, a 10k and 5k, a few Time Trials (Individual - Bike), couple of duathlons and 5 triathlons.

Next year I will race the Olympic distance triathlon and complete my first Half Ironman event - a 70.3 mile race that consists of 1.2 Mile Swim, 56 Mile Bike, and a 13.1 mile run.

Now, if I could just decide what Half Ironman to do... What do you think?